The blow was actually courtesy of friendly fire. Fellow Dockers Luke McPharlin hit Mundy high in a contest and strangely, Fremantle received a free kick for the contact.

But even without the engine room in the midfield that pushed the Dockers to within 15 points of their first premiership last season, the run from the Dockers was too much for the Bombers, particularly after the main break.

In a dominant third term the Dockers had 20 more possessions and four more inside-50s (13-9). For their efforts they kicked 7.1 to the Bombers' 1.2.

Michael Johnson, Danyle Pearce and McPharlin provided most of that run, with McPharlin kicking his first goal in 35 games.

It's rare this season that fixturing will work in favour of Fremantle, with several six-day breaks. But yesterday it did.

The Dockers had nine days to recover from their 58-point loss to Hawthorn in round three, while Essendon had just a week to travel and be ready to face Fremantle after beating Carlton by 81 points.

And the benefits of those extra days of recovery were evident, mainly in the second half.

The Bombers needed much more reward for the high possession game style they played in the opening half.

The Bombers had 42 more touches before the main break, including 36 more uncontested possessions.

Brent Stanton had 23 touches for the half and Dyson Heppell had 17.

But they came out to start the third term looking like a side that had had enough of the conditions.

Fremantle kicked seven goals to start the term before Jetta kicked the Bombers' fifth.

The margin had gone from 13 points at the half-time break to 48 points and the result was no longer in doubt.

The lack of a recognised ruckman also started to take as much of a toll as the heat.

More of Aaron Sandilands' knocks started to go to Dockers hands and result directly in goals - Lachie Neale providing the best example of that early in the last term to take the margin to a game-high 72 points.